Brake slack-adjuster.



T. L. BURTON. BRAKE SLACK DJUSTER.` APPLICATION FILED FEB. I1, IsIe..

1,285,286. Melibea July 31, 1917.

THOMAS L. BURTON', OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO TE AMERICAN BRAKE COMPANY, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 0F MISSOURI.

:BRAKE SLACK-ADJUSTER.

Application led February 17, 1916.

To all whom #may concern.'

Be it known that l, THOMAS L. BURTON, of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brake Slack-Adjusters, of which improvement the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to devices for taking up the slack in railway brake rigging, and has for its object to provide a simple manually operated screw mechanism for adjusting the connection between a lever-and rod of the brake rigging, or for shifting the iulcrum of a dead truck lever for the purpose of eliminating the slack caused by the wear of the brake shoes, and the wear and lengthening of the members of the brake rigging- With this object in view, my invention comprises an improved means for protecting the screw from dirt and dust, and for manually operating the same.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the brake rigging, and showing my improved adjuster mechanism applied to the connection between one of the truck levers and a tie rod; Fi 2, a horizontal section of one form of adjuster embodying my improvement; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the same; and, Fig. 4, a vertical sectionshowing a slightly modiiied construction applied to the fulcrum of a dead truck lever.

According to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, one of the tie rods, 5, of the bra-ke rigging is provided with a slotted end forming a frame, 6, having a vertical opening for .the truck lever, 7, the side members of the frame forming guides for the fulcrum block, 8, on which said lever is pivoted. The fulcrum block is attached to the end of the screw, 9, passing through the nut, 10, rotatably mounted in the end piece, l1, of the frame, the nut being provided with a hollow exterior extension, 12, for inclosing the screw and also serving as a means for manually turning the nut for adjusting the position of the screw and the vfulcrum block. The nut also has an inwardly projecting hollow extension, 13, inclosing a blank portion of the screw adjacent to the fulcrum block, when the screw is Speecation of Letters Patent.

Patenten July ai, ier?.

Serial No. 78,812.

justed to its inward position. A spring actuated detent, 14, may be mounted in the to the wear of the brake shoes and rod connections, the brake shoes will fall farther away from the wheels when released, and a longer travel of the brake cylinder piston will be required to apply the shoes to the wheels. the brake system, and to eliminate this objectionable slack in the brake rigging, the

adjusting nut, 10, is then manually rotatedI to adjust the screw and shift the fulcrum block forward. This operation is repeated as often as necessary until the brake shoes are completely worn out, at which time the threaded portion of the screw, 9, will have traveled forward so as to be mostly within the hollow extension, 13, of the adjusting nut. It will thus be seen that the screw is protected at all times from dirt and dust, either by the hollow extension, 12, or the eX- tension, 18, and that said nut may be readily adjusted manually by turning the eXtension, 12.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the frame, 6a, is secured upon the truck frame 'and carries the slidable fulcrum block, 8a,

scribed, the hollow extension, 12, covering` the end of thes'crew. The inward extension shown in the other figures is not, however, employed in this construction, since the frame, 6a, is closed at the top soy that it serves as a protection to exclude the dirt and dust from the screw threads' when the screw is adjusted to its inner position.

Having now described my' invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

rlhis diminishes the efficiency 'of 1. In a brake slack adjuster, the combinationv of a frame, a fulcrum block slidably Amounted thereon, a nut rotatably mounted in the end of the framea a screw7 attached to said tulerum hloel; and Qasslng through the nut, a hollowvv extension from said nutl nclosing the end of the screw and serving as means :for manually adjusting the same, and a spring actuated detent on the end of said frame and engaging said nut as an mpostive stop.

2. ln a brake slack adjuster, the combination of a frame, a tulerum block sldahly mounted thereon a nut rotatably mounted in the end of the trane, a sereaT attached to said taler-um block and passing through the nut., and a hollow extension on said nut ef;- tendng inward from the nut toward the fnlcruln hloelr and surrounding the screw.

3. ln a brake slack adjuster, the Comblnaton of a framej a ulertnn hlool slldahly mounted theneoni a nut rotatably mounted lessees ln the end of the frame, a screw attached to said ulcrum block and passing through the nut, a hollow extension of the nut lnclosng the end of the screw, and another hollowT eX- tenson covering the screw n the opposite direction. v

4. En a brake sla-eli adjuster, the combination of a frame having a vertical opening and a ulerum block sldaloly mounted therein, a screw attached to said block, and a nut rotatably mounted in the frame and having a hollow extension lneloslnge, the end of the screw outside the frame, and another hollow extension covering the screw inside the frame.

ln testimony whereof have hereuto set any hand.

@non ls n snaren. 

